Artistry’s 44th annual juried member’s show opened on October 2, and tonight at 6 pm will be the awards show! My piece ‘Letting go of Blue’ made it into the show, and I will sit here in my ball gown, of course, with my speech prepared 😆 It’s always exciting which piece of art will win one of the three awards! Artistry member art is high quality and very versatile. So tune in tonight at 6 pm! Link here:
New sculptural wall piece for my solo show at Lanesboro Arts in Lanesboro, MN, in October2020. This piece is inspired by a photograph of my two aunts Resi and Mechtild, when they were little girls, taken around 1940. Their father had been granted a brief home visit (he was drafted into the reserve army for WW2 – a war he hated) and his little daughters are enjoying a moment of closeness and peace sitting on his lap. Thankfully he survived the war. You can see so much heaviness and sadness in this picture. My mother and her siblings were much affected by the experience of living through the fear, death and chaos of WW2, throughout their lives. When I grew up I still felt that heaviness every day – it lived on in my parents. War has long reaching and severe consequences and is a far cry from glorious, even if sometimes tyrants need to be defeated. Also, this doesn’t discount the heroism and courage of the people fighting, living and dying during a war.
All of our lives are more or less drastically changed by Covid19. My work practice has not changed that much in many ways, since it was solitary to begin with. My regular firing place, Continental Clay, isn’t available right now though, and that brought about a change in the appearance of my latest work. I have been experimenting with pit firing in a charcoal grill and a fire pit in our backyard, and all my new work that will be available in my online Art-A-Whirl shop (Art-A-Whirl is happening online from May 15 to 17!) is finished in that technique, paired with some bright splashes of color provided by acrylic paint. See below some pictures of the work process and the results. The small busts you see are my ‘escapism’ series – an idea I had in the beginning of the year, even before the pandemic hit. The people portrayed are dreaming themselves into a peaceful, serene state of mind by focusing on comforting and iconic imagery – like superman, milk and cookies, a love note, or a unicorn! These busts and the small wallpiece heads will be available in my online Art-A-Whirl store. Stay tuned for details!
I got my piece back from glaze firing last week. Will call it ‘stories’, I think. The painted portraits commemorate classmates of my mother’s. She often talked about her middle school class, and how many of her friends’ lives were cut short by WW2. My mother passed away last year, so this is a monument to her, her friends, our closeness and the stories she shared with me.
Basking in one of the best compliments I’ve ever gotten for ‘La Doña’: “Its ubiquitous Day of the Dead branding gives La Doña the feel of a playful sacred space, and perhaps most significantly in terms of good vibes, the brewpub is blessed with the 24/7 presence of the stunning sculpture “La Doña,” by sculptor Kordula Coleman, which is surrounded by candles and serves as something of an altar, perfect for gathering round with a pint and contemplating all this life and death.” Thank you , Jim Walsh , for this shoutout in your article in @minnpost for my favorite brewery in town La Dona Cerveceria and for this dizzying, bask worthy compliment on my sculpture ‘La Doña’. This really made my day. Photo by Jim Walsh
My annual holiday sculpture sale is here! All pieces shown will be 20% off until Jan 15 2020, which will put some of them well below $600. See titles and discount prices in photo captions. I accept credit card and payment plans! Email me if interested.
‘Rebirth’, 2018, 17″ x 12″ x 9″, $795 with 20% discount
‘Blue’, 2017, 18″ x 11.25″ x 6.5″, $795 with 20% discount
‘Steward’, 2017, 18.5″ x 8.5″ x 7.5″, $650 with 20% discount
‘Letting go of Blue’, 2016, 18.5″ x 7″ x 6.75″, $650 with 20% discount
‘Drama’ , 2015, 17.5″ x 7.0″ x 7.5″, $560 with 20% discount
‘Listening’, 2015, 19″ x 8.25″ x 8.25″, $560 with 20% discount
‘Help’, 2017, (set of 2), max height 19″, max depth 7.75″, $875 with 20% discount
‘Old soul’ – H 15.75″, 2015, $560 with 20% discount
The class will be held on Thursday nights, October 3, 10 and 24 from 6:30 to 9 pm. Participants will learn the basic principles of working with clay, and how to shape and glaze their very own small low relief head sculpture. Learning this skill might open up your way into sculpting with clay, and the joy of creating something completely unique, new and durable – to keep for yourself or to pass on as a gift. All skill levels are welcome, including beginner! Participants will leave upon completion of class with a finished, glazed and fired head sculpture – or several, depending on each person’s pace of work. These pieces make for excellent wall pieces, but can be displayed on any flat surface – even outdoors in a bird bath! Just make sure to take it in before it freezes. This class is meant for participants 16 years or older. For more information, see the official flyer below (note that the dates are the old ones and not accurate) and click on the the Dock6Pottery Facebook event page. You can also call them at 612-327-0429 to reserve your spot and pay over the phone. Would love to see you there – let’s make art together!
Artist’s preview night yesterday at the Minnesota State Fair Fine Arts Building! Standing next to my piece ‘Rebirth’ – I am in mighty company and thrilled that this piece made it into the show! I highly recommend seeing the show when you’re at the fair – an incredible, large and versatile array of local art.
I had the great honor to be interviewed by Classical MPR’s Steve Staruch for his program ‘Music with Minnesotans’! The interview was aired Friday, June 14, at 3:30 pm CST on Classical MPR. Steve had invited me to be on the show after seeing my work on my website and, in his own words, being ‘captivated’ by it. This was amazing for me to hear – Classical MPR has been my companion for many years, and Steve Staruch’s voice in the afternoon has been a constant presence. To be featured on ‘Music with Minnesotans’ and to have met Steve in person was so immensely gratifying. He was wonderful to talk to – an empathetic and supportive listener, which made my initial nervousness dissolve, and enabled me to freely share my thoughts. So, if you want to hear a few things about my history – growing up in Germany, how I started loving classical music, how I ended up in Minnesota, and my three favorite classical pieces, which were incredibly hard to pick – have a listen! The interview is available online at Classical MPR – Music with Minnesotans, together with some pictures of Steve’s studio visit at our house.
All set up @brookviewgoldenvalley community center! It was so fun installing my sculptures in this beautifully designed and brand new building! I love the integration of plenty of daylight into the architecture. My pieces, all from my animal series, will be on display and for sale for three months – stop by, take a look and grab a bite to eat at the restaurant! That’s exactly what I will do soon.
